One of the benefits of training at Grande Sports World in Arizona is that Real Salt Lake gets to look at its players on the Real Salt Lake-AZ academy team. Eight academy players are participating in preseason training camp, and one could become RSL's first homegrown player signing.

The program is a full-time residency program. Mike Munoz is the interim director following the departure of Greg Vanney, who became an assistant coach at Chivas USA following the selection of Robin Fraser as head coach.

“We have 24 kids living here in residency full-time," Munoz said. “It’s a very close group, essentially like a family, a bunch of teenage brothers living together. We’ve created a very good family environment ... Not only do you have to be well-qualified as a coach, but it has to be somebody who cares about the boys.”